Stitching machine for sets of sheets



July '7, 1931. R. DRAEGER 1,813,035

STITCHING MACHINE FOR SETS 0F SHEETS Filed Dec. 7. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet lmini 1 V I e 415 @VIIIIIUUU/ .E

Robern Draeger \NVENTOE,

July 7, 1931.

'R'. DRAEGER STITCHING MACHINE FOR SETS OF SHEETS Filed Dec. 7. 1929 4Sheets-Sheet 2 July 7, 1931.- R. DRAEGER STITCHING MACHINE FOR SETS OFSHEETS Filed Dec. 7, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Kobefi Uroeaer \NVENTOK' July7, 1931. R. DRAEGER STITCHING MACHINE FOR SETS 0F SHEETS Filed Dec. 7.1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Eobevf Draefier INVENT JKMHTTL Patented July 7,1931 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT nnnnena, or monrnouen, FRANCE,ASSIGNQR TO DRAEGER FRERES, or

- V mon'rnonen, FRANCE I rtion.

STITGHING MACHINE FOR SETS 0F SHEETS I Application filed December 7,1929, Serial No. 412,385, and in France November 19, 1929.

According to known methods, the sheets of books or the like are stitchedby the use of'a wire forming a helical coil, whose different spiralturns traverse the set of sheets, these having been. pierced along oneside with a row of holes which are spaced according to the pitch of thehelical coil. In the known construction, the coil of wire is put inplace by hand, but this operation requires a long time and is not of apractical nature, as the coil of thin wire can be guided only withdifliculty. i

The present invention relates to a machine for the automatic stitchingof preliminarily pierced sheets by the use of a wire wound in helicalform, and such wire may be wound in the machine or on the outside.

According to one feature of the invention, the said machine comprises adevice adapted "to hold the sheets whlle the wire is inserted, and thissupport is so disposed that the sheets will be pressed together and willbe relatively displaced in such manner that the holes cor responding tothe several sheets will form, through the set, a helical aperture havingsubstantially the same pitch and radius as that of the saidwire.

According to another feature of the invention, the support for thesheets consists of two parallel plates between which the set of sheetsis disposed. Said plates are pressed together by suitable means and havebetween them, 1 according to two straight lines perpendicular to eachother and inclined from the horizontal suitable stops which assure bytheir form the relative osition of the sheets which rest .thereon by teir own weight.

Further characteristics of the invention will be set forth in thefollowing descrip- In the accom anying drawings, which are given by way0 example:

Fig. 1 is a'front view of a book or the like stitched by the machineaccording to the invention.

' Fig. 2 is a section on a larger scale on the line 2-2 of Fig.1,showing the relative position of the sheets.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.-

Fig. 4 is a front view of a machine according to the invention.

Fig. 5 is the corresponding side view.

Fig. 6 is a partial view on a larger scale, on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a partial section, on a larger scale, on the line 7-7 of Fig.5, of one of the stops.

Fig. 8 is a plan view, in the released position of the cam controllingthe plates.

Fig. 9 is a like view in the pressed position.

Fig. 10 is a partial section showing, in the inoperative position, theshearing device adapted to cut the wire in the case in which the helicalcoil is wound on the machine.

Fig. 11 is a like section showing the said shearing device'at the end ofits active stroke.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 1212 of Fig. 10.

Figs. 1 to 3 represent a set of sheets, or books, which has beenstitched and in which the sheets l1 etc. are joined together at the side2 in the known manner by a wire 3 wound in helical form. The differentspirals .of the wire traverse (with a slight play) the whole set ofsheets through holes 4 in the sheets. The distance it between theseveral holes 4 is equal to the pitch of the helix.

The said sheets are thus obliged to move with reference to one anotherin such mannor as to follow the inclination of the said Wire. Thechannel 5 (Figs. 2 and 3) formed by the superposed perforations 4 of thedifferent sheets has substantially the form of a portion of a helixWhose pitch is h. The relative displacement of the sheets may beconsidered as resultin from a longitudinal the plane A according to acircumference whose diameter d is the same as the diameter .of thehelix.

-The apparatus according to the invention permits to give automaticallyto the sheets the relative positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3,

In the construction shown in Figures 4 to 12, the machlne accordlng tothe invention comprises a frame 7 carrying two bearings 88 sup-porting astationary axle 9 to which are keyed two slidable supports 1010.

Springs 1111"* surrounding said axle between the said supports 1010 andthe corresponding bearing 88 urge together these two supports whichcarry upon their respective opposite faces suitable plates 1212 whichare adapted to hold between them the sheets 1--1 etc. to be stitchedtogether, and

which comprise two rectangular sides 13'13 and 1414 which are inclinedfrom the horizontal.

The said plates 12 and 12 are provided, upon their adjacent faces. withrespective sleeves 1515 ,"'(F igs. 8 and 9) movable on' the axle 9 andcomprising lateral ramps 16-16 cooperating with ramps 1717 pertaining toa cam 18 which is loose on the axle 9. Said cam is secured to anoperating lever 20 (Figs. 4-5-8-9) to whoseend is pivoted a rod 21leading to a pedal (or the like), not shown. A spring 22 urges 'the caminto the position shown in Fig. 9 in which the ramps 16-17 and 16 --17are in contact,

this bringing together the plates 1212.,-

By the rotation of the said cam 18, this latter will proceed into theposition shown in Fig.

8, and the two plates 12-12 will be separated.

On the plates 12--12 are mounted stops by which the sheets are held intheir longitudinal direction between the two plates. On the sides 13-13,the said stops consist of a plurality of angle brackets 23 (Figs. 4-5-7)secured to the outside of one of the.

said plates, such as the plate 12? and the transverse flange of eachbracket is so inclined that it will be parallel to planes A tangent tothe helix, which planes A have been above specified. I

' On theother side, lit -14 of the said plates 12'-12, the stop consistsof a rod 24 whose axis is 25. Said rod which is mounted on the machineframe is circular only upon half of its section (m n 39, Fig. 6), theradius of this part being equal to the internal radius of thehelix. Thepart m g p is thinner, and the sheets 1. 1 etc. will reston this'part(Figs. 5 and 6) in such manner that the perforations 4 will be broughtupon a circular arc whose'radius is /g and whose centre is situated uponthe axis 25.

In a preferred construction, the plates 12 l and 12. comprise adjacentthe perforation 4 of the sheets, suitable notches 26-26 etc. of

@ tapered form, which become narrower when proceeding from the outer tothe inner face of the plate. Said notches, as will be further explained,serve to uide the end of the wire having the helical orm. v

The said machine may be completed by a device by which the wire may behelically wound outside of the machine and may be then inserted into themachine, or by which the coil of wire may be directly wound in themachine itself. This latter case is herein represented by way ofexample.

In this arrangement, the rod 24 serving as a stop is downwardly extendedby a round mandrel 27 whose axis is in line with the axis 25 of the rod24. The said mandrel, whose radius isequal to the internal radius z ofthe helix to be formed, is surrounded by a sleeve 28 in which is formeda helical groove whose sunken relief represents the said helix. Saidgroove might also be formed in the mandrel 27, whose diameter is to bechosen in consequence, the said sleeve 28 being then smooth, or it isformed partially in the sleeve 28 and partially in the mandrel 27. Insaid sleeve is formed a tangential lateral channel 29 inline with atubular guide 30 (Fig. 4) through which the wire 31 is inserted into thesleeve 28. Said wire 31 is fed into the sleeve by two feeding rollers3233 rotated in combination in any suitable manner, for instance bybevel gearing 34'353637 from a shaft 38. The wire to be supplied iswound on a drum 39. p I

The said machine preferably comprises a shearing device adapted to out011' the helical 1 coil when the stitching pleted. I

In the example herein, represented (Figs.

510-1 112), the shearing device 40' is slidoperation is comable in arecess 41 in the main frame. A

spring 42 urges the sameto the rear.

'arm 43 mounted on the lever 20 controlling the cam 18 separating theplates 1212 can be inserted into a mortise 44 formed in said shearingdevice 40. Adjacent said device there is formed in the mandrel 27 agroove 45 g will rest at the bottom upon the stops 23 and at the backupon the rod 24, and the sheets thus mutually assume automatically therelative position above specified. The pedal is then released, and underthe action of the spring 22 the cam '18 will disappear (as in Fig. 9).The plates 12 '12, now released will come together by means of thesprings 1111, thus pressing the sheets together.

The rollers 32-33 are then actuated, and

they feed-into the sleeve 28 the wire 31 which is thus wound along thehelical groove of the sleeve 28 or on the mandrel 27. The coil thusformed will rise along the rod 24, and its upper end thus enters, as itproceeds, into the holes formed by the perforations 4 of the sheets 11The wire is guided by the notches 26 in the edge 1414 of the plates12-12. If desired, this guiding operation can be furthered by the use ofnotches in helical disposition on the rod 24 in the region correspondingto the part m n p of its section (Fig. 6).

When the end of the wire has been brought through the last hole in theset of sheets, the said rollers 33-34 are disconnected. The

-operator then presses down his pedal in order 1 such manner that itwill assume the radial ited to the form of construction hereinrepresented, which is given solely by way of example. The use of theshearing device, of varied construction, is optional and the wire canevidently be cut by hand. The device for the winding of the helical coilcan be of any construction, and it may also be replaced by a suitabledevice (as stated) enabling the use of wires which have been wound in ahelical coil outside of the machine.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for stitching together a set of sheets pierced along oneedge with equidistant holes by means of a wire wound in a helix, incombination: lateral guiding means parallel with the faces of the set ofsheets for holding the sheets against each other, a guiding rod having across section lesser than the cross section of the free internal spaceof the helically wound wire when inserted in the holes of the setofsheets and provided with a curved longitudinal face adapted to bear onthe edge of the set of sheets adjacent to the holes, and guiding meansobliquely inclined with relation to the faces of the set of sheets andadapted to bear on one of the edges of the set of sheets adj acent tothe edge bearing on said rod, whereb said channels are given asubstantially helical form.

2. In a machine for stitching together a set of sheets pierced along oneedge with equidistant holes by means of a wire wound in a helix, incombination; two substantially vertical plates between which the set ofsheets is adapted to be inserted and guided, a guiding rod between saidplates obliquely disposed with relation to the horizontal, having across section lesser than the cross section of the free internal spaceof the helically wound wire when inserted in the holes of the set ofsheets and provided with an upper curved longitudinal face on which isadapted to bear by gravity the edge of the set of sheets adjacent to theholes, and other guiding surfaces between said plates obliquely inclinedwith relation to .the horizontal and with 'rela'tion to the faces of theset of sheets and on which is adapted to bear by gravity the lower edgeof the set of sheets adjacent to the edge bearing on said rod. i

3. In a machine for stitching together a set of sheets pierced along oneedge ,with equidistant holes by means of a wire wound in a helix, incombination: two plates adapted to be moved towards and away from eachother and between which the set of sheets is adapted to beinserted, aguiding rod between said plateshaving a cross sectionlesser than thecross section of the free internal space of the helically wound wirewhen inserted in the holes of the set of sheets and provided with acurved longitudinal face on which" is adapted to bear the edge of theset of "sheets adjacent to the holes, guiding surfaces between saidplates obliquely inclined with relation to said plates and on which isadapted to bear one of the edges of the set of sheets adjacent to theedge bearing on said rod, and means for pressing the plates towards eachother.

4. In a machine for stitching together a set of sheets pierced along oneedge with equidistant holes by means of a wire wound in a helix, incombination: a stationary shaft, two plates splined on said shaft, andbetween which the set of sheets is adapted to be inserted, yieldingmeans urging said plates towards each other, a cam loosely mounted onsaid shaft between said plates, means for rotating said cam, cooperatingsurfaces on said cam and on said plates whereby said plates may be movedaway from each other against the action of said yielding means, aguiding rod between said plates having a cross section lesser than thecross section of the free internal space of the helically wound wirewhen y with relation to said plates and on which is adapted to bear oneof the edges of the set of sheets adjacent to the edge bearing on saidrod.

5. In a machine for stitchingtogether aset of sheets pierced along oneedge with equidistant hoies by means of a wire wound in a helix, incombination: two plates between which the set of sheets is adapted to beinserted, a guiding rod between said plates having a cross sectionlesser than the cross section of the free internal space of thehelically wound wire when inserted in the holes of the set of sheets andprovided with a curved longitudinal face on which is adapted to bear theedge of the set of sheets adjacent to the holes, guiding surfacesbetween said plates obliquely inclined with relation to said plates and011 which is adapted to bear one of the edges of the set of sheetsadjacent to the edge bearing on said rod, and guiding surfaces formed insaid plates for guiding the helical wire during its insertion intosaidholes.

6. .In a machine for stitching together a set of sheets pierced alongone edge with equidistant holes by means of a wire wound in a helix, incombination: two plates between which the set of sheets isadapted to beinserted, a guiding rod between said plates hav- 20 ing a cross sectionlesser than the cross section of the free internal space of thehelically Wound wire when inserted in the holes of the set of sheets andprovided with a curved longitudinal face on which is adapted to bear I Ithe edgeof the set of sheets adjacent to the holes, guiding surfacesbetween said plates obliquely inclined with relation to said plates andon which is adapted to hear one of the edges of the set of sheetsadjacent to the edge bearing on said rod, and guiding surfaces formedinthe outer part of said rod for guiding the helical wire duringitsinsertioninto said holes. a. v

7 In a machine for stitching together a set of sheets pierced along oneedge with equi distant holes by means of a wire wound in a I helix, incombination: lateral guiding means holes, means for feeding on said roda Wire wound into helical form, and means for shearing said wire nearthe end of said rod adjacent to said feeding means for the wire.

9. In a machine for stitching together a set of sheets pierced along oneedge with equidistant holes by means of a wire wound in a helix, incombination: lateral guiding means parallel with the faces of the set ofsheets for holding the sheets against each other, a guiding rod having across section lesser than the cross section of the free internal spaceof the helically wound wire when inserted in the holes of the set ofsheets and provided with a curved longitudinal face adapted to bear onthe edge of the set of sheets adjacent to the holes, and with alongitudinal groove on the opposite face, means for feeding on said roda wire wound into a l 1elical formand means for shearingsaid wireopposite said groove and for bending the cut end of said wire intoROBERT DRAEGE L' parallel withthe faces of the set of sheets for holdingthe sheets against each other, a guid- 40 ing rod having a cross sectionlesser than the cross section of the free internal space of thehelically wound wire when inserted in the holes of the set of sheets andprovided with acurved longitudinal face adapted to bear .on the edge oftheset of sheets adjacent to the holes a mandrel in line with said rodand within which is provided a helical channel and an inlet straightchannel from said helical channel to the exterior of said mandrel, areel of wire and feeding rollers adapted to feed wire from said reelinto said inlet channel, through said helical channel, around said rodand into the holes of said set of sheets.

8. In a machine for stitching together a set of sheets pierced along oneedge with equidistant holes by means of'a wire wound in a helix, incombination: lateral guiding means parallel with the faces of the set ofsheets for holding the sheets against each other, a guiding rod having across section lesser than the cross section of the free internal spaceof the helically wound wire when inserted in the holes of the set ofsheets and provided with a curved longitudinal face adapted to bear on65 the edge of theset of sheets adjacent to the

